This invention relates to or consists of specific design features which combine to make the bench construction especially useful to anyone engaged in athletic activity.
Heretofore, participants have had to use conventional benches and chairs simply because this was all that was available. Because these benches and chairs were usually cumbersome and required substantial amounts of space, they could not be placed close to the activity without interfering with play or becoming a hazard.
In the case of tennis, conventional chairs and benches can only be used in the rare instances when there is adequate side and back court. In such instances they are placed against the side or back fences which places them 12 to 20 feet away from the playing area of the court.
In the case of multiple courts, where there is often less than 12 feet between courts, the only place conventional benches and chairs can be safely placed is in the backcourts or against the side fences of the two end courts.
Furthermore, benches and chairs, unless they are exceptionally large cannot be used for both sitting and storing gear; there is simply not enough room for both, either on top or under them.
Another serious drawback in using conventional benches and chairs for athletic activities is that, even when they can be used for resting, they are not well suited for it, because most of them are only about knee height. A participant literally has to curl up to use them, with both the legs and back bent. Even then the feet still carry the weight of the legs and in many cases this is substantial. Under these conditions it is questionable how much rest or relaxation a player can actually get during short breaks in play, particularly when one takes into account the amount of energy expended in simply getting down and getting up. When they add to this the increased danger of stiffening and cramping right after working and straining muscles, it is easy to understand why most players do not even bother to sit down between interruptions in play even though many of them are exhausted to the point of numbness.
Another reason conventional chairs and benches are not used more often on courts, playing fields, or in other playing or exercise areas is that they seriously interfere with and increase the time and cost of maintenance because they have to be moved a number of times when a playing area is being swept or cleaned, and in some cases, even cut and rolled.
Finally, there is the question of the appearance of conventional benches and chairs on courts, playing fields, and other playing or exercise areas. In most cases, unless they have been designed for particular facilities, they look out of place and obviously do not belong there. Although they are accepted because they take care of a need, they generally try to hide them or get rid of them when pictures have to be taken.